Page 57 of Sunny Undone

She rummages in her bag while I am stumbling like a fool, trying to come up with something to say that’s perfect. That explains what Knox and I agreed.

“Can you guys give us some privacy?” I say to my men.

Della looks up at that, eyes bright with anger. “We do not need privacy.”

Tank huffs. “I beg to differ.”

Della spins on her heel. “You hurt me,” she shouts at him. “Look at my arm.”

Tank does. So do I. And I feel a wave of rage at the sight of Tank’s red fingerprints on her bicep. But once we’ve looked our fill, Della simply continues to rummage in her bag before pulling out a book.

She thrusts it at me. “I was bringing you this to say thank you. And sorry for being a jerk by running out on you. Now, I just hope you read it and learn about all the amazing birdlife that’s going to be endangered by whatever is going on here.” It smacks hard against my chest. “Maybe its purpose in the world was to show someone when they’re on the wrong fucking side of history.”

Should I be fighting for my life with her, right now? Probably.

But I’m too struck with how amazing she is when she’s angry. Her cheeks are pink. Her eyes are wide. And she dropped the word fuck, which I’ve never heard her say.

I grin as she marches by me, because I get a flash of what our future could look like. She has the potential to be an incredible old lady, because there will be no accepting of club-girl bullshit. Next time she overhears someone talking shit about her, she’ll have my full permission to decimate them in any way she sees fit. And I’ll never get away with not being honest with her because she’ll see straight through me. And she’ll help me think through the handful of complicated club issues I might be able to share with her and cut through them like a hot knife through butter.

Yeah, whenever I spend time with her, I like what I see more.

Even though I know she’ll never consider sticking around. And why would she? Smart and brilliant like she is. And let’s face it, I’m not the guy people stick around for. If my own mother bailed, it kinda says something. But I can’t help wanting to try with Della.

“You should probably go get her, Sunny,” Tank says.

He dips his chin, and I see her full ass sway as she stomps back to her car.

I glance down at the book in my hand and open it to a page. There’s a gorgeous illustration of a bird in every shade of brown from beige through to chocolate. Then, I look up to Tank.

“For the record, I’m thinking that I might make her my old lady one day, so if I ever see you touch her again, I’ll rip off your balls and choke you with ‘em.”

Then, I spin on the heel of my boot and run down the path after her.

“Della, wait up. You got it wrong, babe,” I shout.

But she keeps on stomping, dust blooming from beneath her feet with every furious step.

“Della. Slow the fuck down.”

She turns so fast, it catches me off guard. “Stop following me, Sunny. And stop calling me ‘babe.’ Go down that trail and tell every tree and plant and alligator and⁠—”

“Babe.” The word slips out again, and she rolls her eyes. “We’re protecting it for you.”

She opens her mouth as if to yell at me again but then, stops herself. I can see the way her brain is working written all over her face.

Anger. Then, disbelief. Then, a momentary pause. Then, an optimism that makes me want to tug her to me for a hot second.

“Explain.” That’s it. All I get.

“First, tell me why you left.” Jesus, talk about showing all my cards.

She shakes her head. “You’re gonna have to let me know if you’re worth an explanation. I don’t owe men who destroy wetlands a second of my time or attention, so explain why this is not what I think. Start talking before I get into my vehicle and drive off.”

I rub my fingers over the cover of the book she gave me. She was coming back to see me. I gotta hold on to that.

“If you hadn’t disappeared on me, I’d have been able to tell you we got a call.”

“That’s a passive-aggressive way of putting it,” Della says.